(May 26, 2010) Obama Slammed by Carville on BP Oil; Heckled on DADT at Boxer fundraiser (Videos)

[LadyLazarus]

The question is: where's the love? Obama's being slammed by Democratic strategists like Carville, who has suggested the BP oil spill is Obama's "Katrina" and heckled by audience members at a Boxer fundraiser. He's having a really tough week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQuXxlyAo74

There is a better video posted on RCP where Carville flips his lid, saying "we're dying down here!":

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/05/26/carville_slams_obama_over_oil_spill_were_about_to_ die_down_here.html

Here's a summary of the RCP video:

Democratic strategist James Carville blasts White House over rig spill reaction. "I have no idea why their attitude was so hands-off, it's unbelievable. I hope he sees it now cause very seldom we get something that's really good politics and really the right thing to do," Carville said.

Carville says President Obama "could have done" several things such as deploying people to the coast.

"They're [The people are] begging for something down here and he just looks like he's not involved in this. He's got to get down here and take control of this, put somebody in charge of this thing and get this thing moving, we're about to die down here," an emotional Carville said.

Being heckled on DADT at Boxer fundraiser:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkRHE-jiqo0

[Spang]

The heckler video was cut too short:

"C'mon, man, I'm dealing with Congress here," Obama said to laughter. "It takes a little bit of time."

And the oil spill is BP's chicken, they get to **** it.

[foxyladi]

The heckler video was cut too short:



And the oil spill is BP's chicken, they get to **** it.

not supposed to do that:rotfl::rotfl:

[Spang]

Also, let's not forget where Carville is from.

[LadyLazarus]

Also, let's not forget where Carville is from.

Yeah, but that's the weird thing. Lately, I mean for the last year, Carville's been really pro-Obama. Like he's done a complete 180 on Obama. People tried to get him to say negative stuff about Obama during the health care debates, but he wouldn't. He kept supporting him like a trooper.

So I found Carville's reaction to all this slightly bizarre. In fact, it started making me wonder if there is something to the rumor that Hillary is thinking about running in 2012. I mean check out the video on RCP. Look at how incensed Carville gets. It's like his head is about to explode. Like the dude looks seriously pissed and when you start hearing democratic strategists comparing Obama to Bush, then something is really wrong.

[sojourner]

Yeah, but that's the weird thing. Lately, I mean for the last year, Carville's been really pro-Obama. Like he's done a complete 180 on Obama. People tried to get him to say negative stuff about Obama during the health care debates, but he wouldn't. He kept supporting him like a trooper.

So I found Carville's reaction to all this slightly bizarre. In fact, it started making me wonder if there is something to the rumor that Hillary is thinking about running in 2012. I mean check out the video on RCP. Look at how incensed Carville gets. It's like his head is about to explode. Like the dude looks seriously pissed and when you start hearing democratic strategists comparing Obama to Bush, then something is really wrong.

Or right, depending upon your point of view. :)

[LadyLazarus]

Or right, depending upon your point of view. :)

Really? I thought everyone was pretty much in agreement that Bush II sucked? Are there really Repubs out there that still think he was a good President?:eek:

I think the question I'm interested in though is whether Carville is right. Carville seems genuinely outraged and indignant that more hasn't been done and that Obama should be up 7 points now. He's a loon, but whatever he is, he's usually honest and right on the money about stuff. You can expect him to speak his mind and not just go over standard talking points.

Has Obama dropped the ball on this one? Critical consensus seems to be suggesting that he has. They are now rushing him down there; doesn't it feel like a day late and a dollar short? I am genuinely interested to hear what an Obama supporter thinks about it.

[Spang]

Has Obama dropped the ball on this one?

No. 100,000 barrels of oil are gushing into the Gulf of Mexico each day, and it's not going to stop until the leak gets plugged. Obama knows that deep-sea pipe leak experts are needed to plug this leak. Obama also knows that deep-sea pipe leak experts work for deep-sea oil drilling companies, and there's already one out there.

[Spang]

Are there really Repubs out there that still think he was a good President?:eek:

Yes, about one-fourth of the American people or the majority of the tea party "movement".

[sojourner]

Really? I thought everyone was pretty much in agreement that Bush II sucked? Are there really Repubs out there that still think he was a good President?:eek:Bush II did suck, conservatives gave up on him early in his second term if not before, and from my point of view democratic strategists are correct in comparing Obama to Bush. Obama sucks also. In fact Bush may come out ahead, hence the "miss me yet" billboards.

[LadyLazarus]

No. 100,000 barrels of oil are gushing into the Gulf of Mexico each day, and it's not going to stop until the leak gets plugged. Obama knows that deep-sea pipe leak experts are needed to plug this leak. Obama also knows that deep-sea pipe leak experts work for deep-sea oil drilling companies, and there's already one out there.

So you don't think he should have gone down there immediately? You don't think, as Carville suggests in the RCP video, he could have gone down there, developed a plan, stopped catering to BP, and taken this thing more seriously earlier on?

A poll (http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/poll_oil_spill_052510.pdf?tag=contentMain;contentB ody) conducted by CBS News shows that only 35% of Americans think Obama is handling the crisis well and only 50% of registered Democrats think he's handling it well.

[Spang]

So you don't think he should have gone down there immediately?

Sure, he could have gotten in the way and slowed things down a lot sooner, but I don't think it would have helped much. Maybe the leak gets plugged up sooner, but the Gulf of Mexico was already ****** after the first 24 hours, and it, along with the Gulf Coast, is going to remain ****** for the next several decades.

[Kbentleyis]

I find it convenient of democrat pundits who are criticizing BHO on this. This is the one incident that "racist" couldn't be weaved into a story.

Everything was "racist" when Brewer signed SB1070, in which she took control to protect the people of AZ. However, when the oil spill is threatening these other states and their livelyhood... it's being recognized for it's severity.

[Spang]

I find it convenient of democrat pundits who are criticizing BHO on this. This is the one incident that "racist" couldn't be weaved into a story.

Despite what those blowhard-idiots preach to you on a daily basis, there's nothing racist about criticizing Obama.

[kyforhillary]

Are you putting yourself in that blowhard category? If you are, I thank you, because usually you are the first one on the blowhard bandwagon of calling people names.

[Spang]

Are you putting yourself in that blowhard category?

No, I don't have my own TV or radio show.

[kyforhillary]

No, you have common ground politics as your forum.

[Spang]

No, you have common ground politics as your forum.

As does anyone else who wants to participate. Unlike a TV or radio show, everyone gets to play.

[sojourner]

As does anyone else who wants to participate. Unlike a TV or radio show, everyone gets to play. Is there a point in there somewhere?

[Spang]

Is there a point in there somewhere?

Yes, now go find another new member of the forum to run off. You're one-for-one today.

[sojourner]

Yes, now go find another new member of the forum to run off. You're one-for-one today.

So what was it?

[Spang]

So what was it?

Jesus H. Christ at a Glenn Beck nut-job rally, why does everything need to be spelled out for you?

Okay, pay attention.

If I had a radio show I would be doing most of the talking. Occasionally I might take a few phone calls, but for the most part it'd be all me all the time. If I had my own TV show it'd be even worse, it'd be all me all the time with an occasional guest or two. Now, on a public message board, such as this one, everyone gets to play. Which means, it's not just me doing all the goddamn communicating, other people get to as well, such as yourself.

[Amy Dugan]

and just wait and see Tues media coverage. Obama to skip laying the wreath on Memorial day in DC to vacation in Chicago. it is ok since he is laying wereath there
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-vice-president-biden-participate-memorial-day-ceremonies

[sojourner]

Blowhard: an exceptionally talkative person.

Spang: 18,161 Posts since 11-09-2008
More than both moderators that joined nine months earlier and almost four times as many as me. I think that also qualifies you as a blowhard.

[Spang]

Blowhard: an exceptionally talkative person.

Spang: 18,161 Posts since 11-09-2008
More than both moderators that joined nine months earlier and almost four times as many as me. I think that also qualifies you as a blowhard.

Fine, call me a blowhard if it makes you feel better. Now let's move on to more important shit, like criticizing Obama for not doing something that many other Presidents have not done before.

[Amy Dugan]

As does anyone else who wants to participate. Unlike a TV or radio show, everyone gets to play.

Obama's biggest reporter Keith Olberman had a guy on there from La that said O has not been here for 28 days and also the engineers had a whistle blower that sent letter that O definitely got last June stating that the temp damns would not stop a hurricane of any level. Keith just listened, no cheerleading for O. the guest said O has forgotten us too like Bush. we hoped it wlould be different.

[Nichelle]

I was listening to CNN on my drive home and caught an interview with Carville and Mary Matalin. His tone today seemed to be a bit different. He expressed that he thinks the White House is being misled. He believes that once the President arrives and sees for himself the extent of the damage that he will respond appropriately.

Interview at the Link (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/26/carville-obama-needs-to-tell-bp-im-your-daddy/?fbid=yhXqYyTz0Nv)


Washington (CNN) - Just hours after completing a tour of oil soaked wetlands on the Louisiana coast, Democratic strategist James Carville blasted the Obama administration for its response to what he calls "a disaster of the first magnitude."

"The chairman of BP said that BP was a big important company and the United States was a big important country…BP is not the equal of the United States government," Carville told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King. "And this president needs to tell BP: I'm your daddy, I'm in charge. You're going to do what we say."

Joined by his wife and fellow CNN contributor Mary Matalin, an emotional Carville stressed the urgency of the situation. "We need some action here, and we need to get this thing moving very quickly," Carville said Wednesday on CNN's John King, USA.

Asked by King whether the disaster response has become a question of presidential accountability, Carville suggested that Washington lobbyists hired by BP were influencing the administration's response to the spill. "They've [BP] hired everything that walks in Washington," the Louisiana native said.

But Carville, a staunch supporter of President Obama, said he is still optimistic that the federal response will change after Obama visits the Gulf Coast later this week.

"I think when this president comes down here Friday and actually sees what is going on, I think we are going to swing into action here. I think we are very optimistic that we are going to have a sea change here Friday. I just think that the president is not being told what the situation here is in a very candid way, and I urge him to come and see."

Clutching a plastic bottle filled with oil from the wetlands, a visibly upset Matalin said that during their tour of affected areas, "We sailed through these marshes for two hours. We didn't see one boat, not one rescue effort, not one skimmer, not one container."

"But before we get to accountability, America just help, just help," Matalin said. "If everybody could help, put pressure on those that can help, there will be plenty of time for accountability and criminality and all the rest of it. But now, get down here, clean it up, contain it, don't let it do any more damage."


I'm ya Daddy!

[cindyb]

Really? I thought everyone was pretty much in agreement that Bush II sucked? Are there really Repubs out there that still think he was a good President?:eek:

I think the question I'm interested in though is whether Carville is right. Carville seems genuinely outraged and indignant that more hasn't been done and that Obama should be up 7 points now. He's a loon, but whatever he is, he's usually honest and right on the money about stuff. You can expect him to speak his mind and not just go over standard talking points.

Has Obama dropped the ball on this one? Critical consensus seems to be suggesting that he has. They are now rushing him down there; doesn't it feel like a day late and a dollar short? I am genuinely interested to hear what an Obama supporter thinks about it.

I don't think President Bush sucked and I do think he was a good president. But I don't fault Barack for not running right down there. I thought it was stupid when people got on President Bush for Katrina when he followed protocol in waiting for State or Local government to request assistence as he was supposed to. I am not going to get on Barack for this even though it is different. But this does seem to be Barack's "Katrina" and it isn't any more fair to Barack than it was to President Bush. And people like Hannity bitching about it is so hypocritical.

Yes, about one-fourth of the American people or the majority of the tea party "movement".

And proud of it.

Bush II did suck, conservatives gave up on him early in his second term if not before, and from my point of view democratic strategists are correct in comparing Obama to Bush. Obama sucks also. In fact Bush may come out ahead, hence the "miss me yet" billboards.

I don't think President Bush sucked and I didn't give up on him and heck yes I miss him.

Sure, he could have gotten in the way and slowed things down a lot sooner, but I don't think it would have helped much. Maybe the leak gets plugged up sooner, but the Gulf of Mexico was already ****** after the first 24 hours, and it, along with the Gulf Coast, is going to remain ****** for the next several decades.

I agree. I don't see where politicians and the American public get off thinking that the President of the United States has to, immediately, run to every disaster and just get in the way. And I'm not trying to minimize this.

Where I do wish Barack would go is to take a in-depth tour of the Arizona southern border and see for himself what is going on down there. But maybe that isn't feasible either but I want him to see what the people of Arizona are going through first hand.



Jesus H. Christ at a Glenn Beck nut-job rally, why does everything need to be spelled out for you?

Okay, pay attention.

If I had a radio show I would be doing most of the talking. Occasionally I might take a few phone calls, but for the most part it'd be all me all the time. If I had my own TV show it'd be even worse, it'd be all me all the time with an occasional guest or two. Now, on a public message board, such as this one, everyone gets to play. Which means, it's not just me doing all the goddamn communicating, other people get to as well, such as yourself.

It really, REALLY bums me out so bad when you take the Lord's name in vain Spang.

[Spang]

It really, REALLY bums me out so bad when you take the Lord's name in vain Spang.

He or she or whatever can send me to hell when I die, if need be.

[sojourner]

I don't think President Bush sucked and I didn't give up on him and heck yes I miss him.Sucked might have been a little strong. I thought he was a great governor of Texas and he was much better as president than the alternative would have been. But, he was less conservative than I would have liked. Both Bush and Hillary are starting to look a lot better to me than they used to.

[greenleaf]

I think the primary problem with Katrina wasn't so much that Bush didn't get there soon enough but that the emergency help didn't get there soon enough.
The physical presence of the president is just one manifestation of his interest and concern.

I did fault Bush for his handling of Katrina so I guess I'm allowed to fault Obama if he merits it.

[cindyb]

Sucked might have been a little strong. I thought he was a great governor of Texas and he was much better as president than the alternative would have been. But, he was less conservative than I would have liked. Both Bush and Hillary are starting to look a lot better to me than they used to.

Yes I do agree with that part.

[hillary4change]

Blowhard: an exceptionally talkative person.

Spang: 18,161 Posts since 11-09-2008
More than both moderators that joined nine months earlier and almost four times as many as me. I think that also qualifies you as a blowhard.
OMGosh!! This made me laugh out loud!!! That is too funny! and true...Shhh!
Jesus H. Christ at a Glenn Beck nut-job rally, why does everything need to be spelled out for you?

Okay, pay attention.

If I had a radio show I would be doing most of the talking. Occasionally I might take a few phone calls, but for the most part it'd be all me all the time. If I had my own TV show it'd be even worse, it'd be all me all the time with an occasional guest or two. Now, on a public message board, such as this one, everyone gets to play. Which means, it's not just me doing all the ******* communicating, other people get to as well, such as yourself.
It really, REALLY bums me out so bad when you take the Lord's name in vain Spang.
I don't think I could agree with Cindy more. You really should have a little respect for other people's religions...not just the Muslim religion.

[Spang]

[SIZE="3"]You really should have a little respect for other people's religions...not just the Muslim religion.

Allah in a hand-basket just doesn't have the same ring to it.

[Aria]

Yeah, but that's the weird thing. Lately, I mean for the last year, Carville's been really pro-Obama. Like he's done a complete 180 on Obama. People tried to get him to say negative stuff about Obama during the health care debates, but he wouldn't. He kept supporting him like a trooper.

So I found Carville's reaction to all this slightly bizarre. In fact, it started making me wonder if there is something to the rumor that Hillary is thinking about running in 2012. I mean check out the video on RCP. Look at how incensed Carville gets. It's like his head is about to explode. Like the dude looks seriously pissed and when you start hearing democratic strategists comparing Obama to Bush, then something is really wrong.

My thoughts exactly - and I understand that Feinstein had some criticizm for the administration this week, too - another Hillary supporter. Hmmmmmm.

[Laura Cereta]

Obama's reaction to this was unacceptable, as was his previous call for intercontinental shelf drilling in the Gulf of Oil (I'm sorry, Mexico). Period. I don't care who did what in what year with what crisis--that doesn't change the ineptness of his response. Put down the kool-aid and deal with the fact that he screwed up.

And yeah, Carville's reaction was weird. I appreciate it, but I also question the motivation behind it.

[Spang]

And yeah, Carville's reaction was weird. I appreciate it, but I also question the motivation behind it.

He's the Ragin' Cajun. Had the oil hit another part of the Gulf Coast I doubt he'd have the same reaction, and we probably wouldn't be discussing it on a message board. I think Carville is more frustrated that another huge disaster has hit Louisiana so soon after the last one and he's taking it out on whoever the current President is.

[Laura Cereta]

He's the Ragin' Cajun. Had the oil hit another part of the Gulf Coast I doubt he'd have the same reaction, and we probably wouldn't be discussing it on a message board. I think Carville is more frustrated that another huge disaster has hit Louisiana so soon after the last one and he's taking it out on whoever the current President is.

Well, I'm frustrated, too.

An executive office comes with a lot of privilege and a lot of responsibility. There is necessary glory when things go right, but hell to pay when they don't.

[Spang]

An executive office comes with a lot of privilege and a lot of responsibility. There is necessary glory when things go right, but hell to pay when they don't.

Maybe Obama should takeover the oil industry.

[CGP]

I love the philosophy of this organization, GET EQUAL:

http://www.getequal.org

Our mission is to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community and our allies to take action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way.

We envision a society in which LGBTQ people are truly equal, without caveat or compromise, and in which we build bridges with all who struggle for justice and dignity in their lives.

The LGBTQ movement stands at a turning point. In the 40 years since the Stonewall Riots our lives have changed immeasurably. We have Gay-Straight Alliances in schools across the country, out characters in movies and on television, affirming communities of faith, and openly gay public officials. But in 2010, we are still unequal as working people, as members of the military, as families, as immigrants, as students, as taxpayers, and as citizens.

All across the country, LGBTQ people are regularly the victims of hate crimes and discrimination on the job. More than 30 states have banned same-sex marriage, including two states (California and Maine) that had previously affirmed marriage rights. Several states have banned us from adopting children, and in the majority of states it remains legal to fire people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Perhaps most discouraging, we have seen little movement on our federal legislative priorities: the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is mired in delays and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) still codify discrimination as the law of the land. All the while, supposedly progressive leaders openly refuse to prioritize our civil rights, and many of our own leaders (out elected officials and directors of long-standing LGBTQ advocacy organizations) have become mouthpieces of the status quo – urging us to continue waiting patiently for equality.

In light of this discouraging state of affairs, hundreds of thousands of Americans – LGBTQ and straight – are demanding a new direction for our movement. In October of 2009, more than 150,000 people marched on Washington to demand full federal equality. Activists young and old returned to their communities inspired, and people everywhere are still pushing for change at home.

We believe this momentum can fundamentally change the current political dynamic, restricting support for those who stand in the way of full equality, and emboldening those who want to do the right thing. No longer can we settle for empty promises while our youth commit suicide, our rights are stripped away at the ballot box, and we are treated as second-class citizens. The time has come to say unequivocally that we are more than a political movement – we are a civil rights movement.

GetEQUAL exists to serve and grow this constituency of everyday Americans – LGBTQ and straight – who are willing and ready to demand equality. We are committed to working with everyone, no matter the sex, gender, race, class, look, age, ability, religion, family status, and citizenship to build a society in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are equal.

Democracy

-Langston Hughes

Democracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.

I have as much right
As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.

I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day.
I do not need my freedom when I’m dead.
I cannot live on tomorrow’s bread.

Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.

I live here, too.
I want freedom
Just as you.

[Spang]

You really should have a little respect for other people's religions...not just the Muslim religion.

Also, I drew this for Everybody Draw Muhammad Day:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b35/Loompy/Muhammad.png

I bash the other religions, too, but the Christian ones are more prevalent in the United States and a far bigger detriment to our society than Islam. If I lived in the Middle East I'm sure it'd be reversed.

[Laura Cereta]

Maybe Obama should takeover the oil industry.

I would go with enforcing regulations already in place. Oh and leave my Gulf alone; drill, baby, drill somewhere else.

[Spang]

I would go with enforcing regulations already in place.

No one seemed too worried about that before this corporate disaster.

[Laura Cereta]

I love the philosophy of this organization, GET EQUAL:

http://www.getequal.org

Great site! I joined. :)

[VotingHillary]

There is an old Who song that best describes Bush vs. Obama...

"Meet the new boss....same as the old boss."

[LadyLazarus]

There is an old Who song that best describes Bush vs. Obama...

"Meet the new boss....same as the old boss."

You crack me up!

[hillary4change]

Also, I drew this for Everybody Draw Muhammad Day:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b35/Loompy/Muhammad.png

I bash the other religions, too, but the Christian ones are more prevalent in the United States and a far bigger detriment to our society than Islam. If I lived in the Middle East I'm sure it'd be reversed.

You think my religion is a detriment to society, and I think you are a detriment to society, so I guess we are equal. I think you could have put more effort into your "art" work. My 2 yr old grandson could have done that well. :)>-

[Spang]

I think you could have put more effort into your "art" work.

I'm not that kind of artist, you're gonna have to deal with it.

[Suzan]

I love the philosophy of this organization, GET EQUAL:

http://www.getequal.org

I joined too. CGP, don't you want to give this it's own thread?

[Spang]

I've been a member of GetEqual since its inception, as far as I know. I also follow them on Facebook and Twitter. There were several mentions of the organization in this thread (http://www.commongroundpolitics.net/discussion/showthread.php?t=55288&highlight=getequal).

[samurai007]

No one seemed too worried about that before this corporate disaster.

Thanks to the payoffs to the Obama administration. His admin is the one that loosened regulations on them.

[foxyladi]

Sucked might have been a little strong. I thought he was a great governor of Texas and he was much better as president than the alternative would have been. But, he was less conservative than I would have liked. Both Bush and Hillary are starting to look a lot better to me than they used to.

they have both always looked good to me..:D

[LadyLazarus]

From RCP today; More on Carville's rage over Obama's sluggish response to the crisis:

James Carville's Rage
By Ruben Navarrette

SAN DIEGO -- Politics is an ugly and cynical profession with more than its share of phonies and opportunists who tell you what you want to hear so they get where they want to go.

So it's refreshing to see a political pro let his guard down and display his emotions in defense of a state he loves.

That's what is so noteworthy about Democratic strategist James Carville's recent no-holds-barred criticism of President Obama for a totally inadequate response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It's been about 40 days since the Deepwater Horizon platform exploded, gushing millions of gallons of oil. The spill has endangered the local fishing industry and threatens to ruin coastal wetlands and wildlife for many generations to come.

The state that has been most heavily impacted by this environmental disaster is Louisiana. According to Gov. Bobby Jindal, more than 100 miles of Louisiana coastline are in the spill's path. Jindal is furious at the Army Corps of Engineers, which until Thursday had refused to grant permits to allow the state to build sand barriers that might slow the spread of crude toward the shoreline. Jindal had threatened to sidestep Washington and push ahead with those plans on his own regardless of the consequences. The governor has been bold and tenacious in defense of the people of his state, showing real leadership.

Contrast that with Obama, who seems to be taking a wait-and-see approach. He dispatched Adm. Thad Allen, the former Coast Guard commandant, and passed the buck to BP by stating that the spill was the company's fault and the cleanup was its responsibility. Behind closed doors, Obama reportedly got frustrated and told aides to "just plug the damn hole." And last week, he traveled to the region for the second time since the spill.

That wasn't good enough for Carville. Raised in the Bayou State, the political strategist graduated from college and law school at Louisiana State University. He recently moved his family from Washington to New Orleans and took a job teaching political science at Tulane University. Carville is "all-in" with his native state. As one of Obama's most visible and most vocal supporters, he is outraged that the president isn't more vested in the recovery effort.

Carville got emotional and nearly broke down during an interview last week on ABC's "Good Morning America" with his old friend, George Stephanopoulos, with whom Carville worked during Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign.

"I have no idea why their attitude was so hands-offy here," Carville said of the White House. "It's just unbelievable."

He argued that Obama could have done several things such as deploying more people for cleanup work and not Cabinet officials looking to hold news conferences. After all, people are hurting, Carville said. "They're begging for something down here and (Obama) just looks like he's not involved in this. Man, you've got to get down here and get control of this, put somebody in charge of this thing and get this thing moving. We're about to die down here."

Later in the day, CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked Carville's longtime friend and business partner Paul Begala, who is from neighboring Texas, if he was as upset as Carville over the administration's response to the oil spill.

"I don't think anybody is as upset as James is," Begala said, "but I do understand the frustration. I really do."

I do, too. Carville is right to be furious, and it speaks well that his loyalty to the region trumps his loyalty to the president.

Begala seems to agree that Obama is blowing it by not being front-and-center in this crisis.

"I do wish both substantively and politically that the president had been more forward leaning," he said. "I do think a more aggressive response was in order."

The rest of the country seconds this. According to a new USA Today/Gallup Poll, six in 10 think the federal government has done a "poor" or "very poor" job of handling the oil spill.

Americans don't want a president with ice water in his veins. Whenever there is a disaster, whether natural or man-made, they want a leader who takes decisive action and speeds up the recovery. But they also want some with passion who sees an injustice and the suffering it caused and reacts with a range of emotions -- including, when appropriate, rage.

Just like James Carville did. Just like anyone else would.
ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com

Source. (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/05/30/james_carvilles_rage_105783.html)

[foxyladi]

Barak does seem a little detached:(

[Aria]

Barak does seem a little detached:(

Trying to keep his hands clean and claiming to have been in charge at the same time isn't easy.

[LadyLazarus]

Trying to keep his hands clean and claiming to have been in charge at the same time isn't easy.

Good point. He's been behind the eight-ball on almost every crisis we've had since he was elected. The question becomes one of trust. And it's just sickening to think that this crisis began in April--think of it, APRIL--and he's just now trying to take control of it.

[LucyTN]

Yes, now go find another new member of the forum to run off. You're one-for-one today.I think you have a corner on that market. I'm sure that more members, new or old, have left because of you than any dozen other people.

[Spang]

Good point. He's been behind the eight-ball on almost every crisis we've had since he was elected. The question becomes one of trust. And it's just sickening to think that this crisis began in April--think of it, APRIL--and he's just now trying to take control of it.

There's not a whole lot he can do, really. No government agency exists to deal with this kind of disaster.

You know how many times George H.W. Bush visited Alaska during their oil spill?

He never did.

[clintonobserver]

Hello, I am new here and introduced myself on the introduction thread.

I think Mr. Obama is out of his element. He's a nice enough guy but shouldn't be president. Some of what he can do is out of the government's hands if he wants to make that his excuse. However, if a president were innovative, he could come up with some plans and resources to start plugging the hole and soaking up the oil. This could have and should have been done many weeks ago. I do agree with someone who said he is not engaged. He never really seems engaged on most things. I will offer an opinion later about why I think that is.

Thanks for the opportunity to post here on this forum. I hope to get to know you all.

[sojourner]

With the Gulf Coast oil spill appearing to spin out of control, the Obama-loving media are now working overtime to shelter the President from any possible blame.

Exhibit A: New York Times columnist Frank Rich's pathetic piece published Sunday.

Almost incomprehensibly, "Obama's Katrina? Maybe Worse" is more of hit piece on the Bush administration than a serious analysis of the failings of the current White House to do anything to prevent the environmental disaster slamming the Gulf Coast after that oil well exploded almost six weeks ago.

But that's just the beginning, for Rich actually ends up pointing fingers at Dick Cheney, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, the Tea Party, and Rand Paul: Source (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/05/30/frank-rich-blames-oil-spill-bush-cheney-beck-palin-tea-party-and-rand-paul#ixzz0pRQTDtEs)

Frank Rich makes a career shift to comedy.

[Aria]

Source (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/05/30/frank-rich-blames-oil-spill-bush-cheney-beck-palin-tea-party-and-rand-paul#ixzz0pRQTDtEs)

Frank Rich makes a career shift to comedy.

Yes, I heard someone on MSNBC say that this is Bush's 2nd Katrina! That is really going too far in blaming one president to protect another. Sheeesh!

[Aria]

Hello, I am new here and introduced myself on the introduction thread.

I think Mr. Obama is out of his element. He's a nice enough guy but shouldn't be president. Some of what he can do is out of the government's hands if he wants to make that his excuse. However, if a president were innovative, he could come up with some plans and resources to start plugging the hole and soaking up the oil. This could have and should have been done many weeks ago. I do agree with someone who said he is not engaged. He never really seems engaged on most things. I will offer an opinion later about why I think that is.

Thanks for the opportunity to post here on this forum. I hope to get to know you all.

Hi and welcome! I agree that Obama is out of his element but I'd also say that he has his own agenda and nothing is supposed to stand in the way. I'll be interested in your opinion on his apparent lack of interest or disengagement on the problems of the country as many/most Americans see them.

[Kelle]

Here is Krauthammer's take on it:

(5/28/2010) A disaster with many fathers (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/27/AR2010052702988.html
By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, May 28, 2010

...
However, the railing against BP for its performance since the accident is harder to understand. I attribute no virtue to BP, just self-interest. What possible interest can it have to do anything but cap the well as quickly as possible? Every day that oil is spilled means millions more in losses, cleanup and restitution.

Federal officials who rage against BP would like to deflect attention from their own role in this disaster. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, whose department's laxity in environmental permitting and safety oversight renders it among the many bearing responsibility, expresses outrage at BP's inability to stop the leak, and even threatens to "push them out of the way."

"To replace them with what?" asked the estimable, admirably candid Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the national incident commander. No one has the assets and expertise of BP. The federal government can fight wars, conduct a census and hand out billions in earmarks, but it has not a clue how to cap a one-mile-deep out-of-control oil well.

Obama didn't help much with his finger-pointing Rose Garden speech in which he denounced finger-pointing, then proceeded to blame everyone but himself. Even the grace note of admitting some federal responsibility turned sour when he reflexively added that these problems have been going on "for a decade or more" -- translation: Bush did it -- while, in contrast, his own interior secretary had worked diligently to solve the problem "from the day he took office."

Really? Why hadn't we heard a thing about this? What about the September 2009 letter from Obama's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration accusing Interior's Minerals Management Service of understating the "risk and impacts" of a major oil spill? When you get a blowout 15 months into your administration, and your own Interior Department had given BP a "categorical" environmental exemption in April 2009, the buck stops.

In the end, speeches will make no difference. If BP can cap the well in time to prevent an absolute calamity in the gulf, the president will escape politically. If it doesn't -- if the gusher isn't stopped before the relief wells are completed in August -- it will become Obama's Katrina.

That will be unfair, because Obama is no more responsible for the damage caused by this than Bush was for the damage caused by Katrina. But that's the nature of American politics and its presidential cult of personality: We expect our presidents to play Superman. Helplessness, however undeniable, is no defense.

Moreover, Obama has never been overly modest about his own powers. Two years ago next week, he declared that history will mark his ascent to the presidency as the moment when "our planet began to heal" and "the rise of the oceans began to slow."

Well, when you anoint yourself King Canute, you mustn't be surprised when your subjects expect you to command the tides.

Let me get this straight. Obama promoted himself as the guy who would heal the planet. Michelle said he would heal our souls. And he promised that he would make good on Bush's broken promises and rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

But the best he can do in the wake of the Mexican Gulf disaster is show up for a photo op and then take off for his Chicago vacation?

kel

[Kelle]

A brief trip in the way back machine:

(1/29/2010) Obama Criticizes Bush’s Response to Katrina on New White House Website (Red Green & Blue)
http://redgreenandblue.org/2009/01/21/obama-criticizes-bushs-response-to-katrina-on-new-white-house-website/

President Obama will keep the broken promises made by President Bush to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. He and Vice President Biden will take steps to ensure that the federal government will never again allow such catastrophic failures in emergency planning and response to occur.

President Obama swiftly responded to Hurricane Katrina. Citing the Bush Administration’s “unconscionable ineptitude” in responding to Hurricane Katrina, then-Senator Obama introduced legislation requiring disaster planners to take into account the specific needs of low-income hurricane victims. Obama visited thousands of Hurricane survivors in the Houston Convention Center and later took three more trips to the region. He worked with members of the Congressional Black Caucus to introduce legislation to address the immediate income, employment, business, and housing needs of Gulf Coast communities.

President Barack Obama will partner with the people of the Gulf Coast to rebuild now, stronger than ever.

Broken promises, catastrophic failures, unconscionable ineptitude…yep, that pretty much sums up the last eight years under George W. Bush. Of course, Bush still defends his response to Katrina:

The truth of the matter is the response was pretty darn quick if you think about the fact that the Coast Guard and a lot of brave kids were pulling 30,000 people off of roofs as soon as the storm passed, as soon as they found people on those roofs.

There is no doubt the Coast Guard acted bravely, but New Orleans’ population is currently 72% that of pre-Katrina.* In fact according to a new report, the city still has a long way to go before it can sustain its pre-Katrina population:

• Rents across New Orleans are 46% higher today than pre-Katrina. This year, a two-bedroom apartment in the city rents for an average of $990, up from $676 in 2005.

• There are 65,000 blighted properties or empty lots throughout the New Orleans area.

• The New Orleans area added 8,000 jobs in the past 12 months, less than a fourth of the number added in the previous time period.

The time has come to help the people of New Orleans.* The time has come for the US government to take responsibility for the devastating effects of this natural disaster. The time has come for Obama to be our leader.


(?) Additional Issues (The White House)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/additional-issues/
Katrina
President Obama will keep the broken promises to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. He and Vice President Biden will take steps to ensure that the federal government will never again allow such catastrophic failures in emergency planning and response to occur. Within weeks of his inauguration, he made a renewed commitment to partner with the people of the Gulf Coast to rebuild now, stronger than ever.

kel

[LadyLazarus]

There's not a whole lot he can do, really. No government agency exists to deal with this kind of disaster.

You know how many times George H.W. Bush visited Alaska during their oil spill?

He never did.

I agree that there is a limit on what a President can do in a situation like this (and I think it is a tiresome trope to continue to blame everything that is wrong in the world on the President), but I also think it is fairly obvious that the administration miscalculated the impact of the crisis. And I'm not so sure what that says about the administration's priorities, especially in terms of environmental policy, and what it says about its competence. The point is that too many of these situations are occurring--(1) health care debacle, (2) immigration reform, (3) bp oil spill--in which the president was confronted with a significant crisis and mounted a lackluster response to it.

Sure, Carville has skin in the game, which explains his rage, but the rage coming from Carville is one that is seeking substance over style. In other words, it doesn't matter that Obama hasn't shown the public he's outraged over the issue so much as he hasn't shown the kind of outrage that precipitates action, the kind of action that will fix the problem.

This issue is going to come back to haunt this administration. It may come back to haunt them as soon as 5 months.

[Kelle]

...

This issue is going to come back to haunt this administration. It may come back to haunt them as soon as 5 months.

IMHO, as I try to point out in my previous post, I think whatever he is doing wrong now is compounded by his criticism of Bush and his promise to make good on Bush's promises. I don't know that he made much progress on that.

And I think his "heal the planet" speech could come back to bite him in a big way.

kel

[LadyLazarus]

Really? Why hadn't we heard a thing about this? What about the September 2009 letter from Obama's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration accusing Interior's Minerals Management Service of understating the "risk and impacts" of a major oil spill? When you get a blowout 15 months into your administration, and your own Interior Department had given BP a "categorical" environmental exemption in April 2009, the buck stops.

Oooh, the plot thickens . . .

[Kelle]

Oooh, the plot thickens . . .

Looks like they've already figured out a way to blame the Bush administration.

Check out the second piece below.

(5/5/2010) U.S. exempted BP's Gulf of Mexico drilling from environmental impact study (The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/04/AR2010050404118.html

The Interior Department exempted BP's calamitous Gulf of Mexico drilling operation from a detailed environmental impact analysis last year, according to government documents, after three reviews of the area concluded that a massive oil spill was unlikely.

...

BP spokesman Toby Odone said the company's appeal for NEPA waivers in the past "was based on the spill and incident-response history in the Gulf of Mexico." Once the various investigations of the new spill have been completed, he added, "the causes of this incident can be applied to determine any changes in the regulatory regime that are required to protect the environment."

...

While the MMS assessed the environmental impact of drilling in the central and western Gulf of Mexico on three occasions in 2007 -- including a specific evaluation of BP's Lease 206 at Deepwater Horizon -- in each case it played down the prospect of a major blowout.

In one assessment, the agency estimated that "a large oil spill" from a platform would not exceed a total of 1,500 barrels and that a "deepwater spill," occurring "offshore of the inner Continental shelf," would not reach the coast. In another assessment, it defined the most likely large spill as totaling 4,600 barrels and forecast that it would largely dissipate within 10 days and would be unlikely to make landfall.

...

While the plan included a 13-page environmental impact analysis, it minimized the prospect of any serious damage associated with a spill, saying there would be only "sub-lethal" effects on fish and marine mammals, and "birds could become oiled. However it is unlikely that an accidental oil spill would occur from the proposed activities."

Kierán Suckling, executive director of the environmental group Center for Biological Diversity, said the federal waiver "put BP entirely in control" of the way it conducted its drilling.

Agency a 'rubber stamp'

"The agency's oversight role has devolved to little more than rubber-stamping British Petroleum's self-serving drilling plans," Suckling said.


(5/5/2010) White House: Idea that BP Given Special Exemption Because of Campaign Cash to Obama “Silly and Ridiculous”Political Punch, ABC News)http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/05/white-house-idea-that-bp-given-special-exemption-because-of-campaign-cash-to-obama-silly-and-ridiculous.html

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs today called “silly and ridiculous” any idea that the Obama administration granted BP an exemption to drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico because of campaign contributions from BP and its employees.

Yesterday the Washington Post reported that in April 2009 the Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service granted BP’s lease at Deepwater Horizon a “categorical exclusion” from a detailed environmental impact analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The Center for Responsive Politics noted last week that candidates for federal office have received more than $3.5 million from BP and its employees in the past 20 years. CRP reported that the “top recipient of BP-related donations during the 2008 cycle was President Barack Obama himself, who collected $71,000.”

Asked his response to anyone wondering about any possible connection between the campaign cash and the regulatory exemption, Gibbs said “I would say that's silly and ridiculous.”

-jpt


UPDATE: Some adminsitration officials got in touch with me about this blog post, to note that the process of BP having received an exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act "is more complicated than the Post story" made it seem.

"There are a lot of layers in the NEPA review process," one administration official said, pointing out that it's a five year process that began for BP in 2004.

In 2004 and 2007 most of the decisions were made regarding the federal government granting the "categorical exclusion."
Then, the official said, "somebody buried deep in MMS made a determination in 2009 that this particular well could qualify for what was already an established routine action."

Officials from the president's Council on Environmental Quality believe that these categorical exclusions may be granted too readily, so in February 2010 they informed agencies "that they need to review how we're issuing categorical exclusions. That guidance is currently out for comment."

kel

[foxyladi]

Hi and welcome! I agree that Obama is out of his element but I'd also say that he has his own agenda and nothing is supposed to stand in the way. I'll be interested in your opinion on his apparent lack of interest or disengagement on the problems of the country as many/most Americans see them.

Those three AM calls just keep on coming. His answering machine in getting filled with messages but he has more important things to do,
Do not interfere with
His golf game
His basketball game
His vacations
such a busy lil bee:rotfl::rotfl:

[Laura Cereta]

Carville unrepentant on W.H. criticism (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38052.html)
2 June 2010, Politico


James Carville walked into one of his favorite New Orleans eateries, Eleven 79, Tuesday night – and was stunned to find BP’s CEO Tony Hayward and Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, the two men tasked with stopping the Gulf spill, eating dinner together.

Hayward, looking up from his Gulf shrimp and pasta, wasted no time defending his embattled and vilified company.

“You’ve said some harsh things,” Hayward said, according to Carville, who sat with the pair for about 30 minutes – the time it took the Louisiana-born Democratic consultant to polish off a Maker’s Mark.

“We’re going to make this right. I’m really committed to this,” Hayward told him.

The impromptu Gulf summit did little to dissuade Carville from his role as President Barack Obama’s No. 1 Democratic critic on the spill – and White House officials make no secret of the fact they’re annoyed by Carville’s criticism.

Carville has accused Obama of being too disengaged and deferential to BP – saying the president needs to become BP’s “daddy.”

The meet-up Tuesday – taking place in a restaurant favored by local judges, businessmen and power brokers – came on a day when the Obama administration all but declared war on BP, trumpeting a probe into possible criminal wrongdoing.

Carville walked out of the restaurant unrepentant. “I don’t think they particularly care for me, and I don’t blame ‘em. I’ve been around long enough to know there’s consequences,” explained Carville, a former adviser to both Bill and Hillary Clinton.

“I’m doing what I have to do,” said Carville, who has called the administration’s initial response to the spill “lackadaisical” and lacking urgency. “I tried to get their attention for some time. I am a Democrat. I like almost all of their policies. But I’m trying to everything in my power to help my state—short of just going after to them. But I did and I will again.”

But White House officials say he’s spending more time grousing publicly than working privately to resolve specific logistical problems. On May 28, White House Press Secretary dismissed Carville’s criticism, saying, “I don't think James understands all of what we're doing. I don't think James understood the facts.”

Administration officials also have accused Carville of snubbing Allen, who called Carville about two weeks ago to talk about the spill and a controversial plan, supported by many Louisiana elected officials, to create sand barriers to block the oil from reaching shore.

“James said he couldn't talk at that moment but then didn't call him back,” an administration official told POLITICO. “Basically, Thad called him two weeks ago, or whenever he said his first thing and then Carville said he couldn’t talk and that he’d call him back.”

Carville tells the story a little differently: After an initial conversation on the phone, he gave Allen his schedule. Allen made one follow-up call, but didn’t leave a return number – just a commitment to try again.

Allen, the Gulf spill incident commander, offered Carville a seat. Apart from ordering Carville to sit down, Allen was friendly, Carville said, even mimicking the outgoing message on Carville’s cell phone answering system.